{"id":1169,"date":"2019-12-05T10:39:22","date_gmt":"2019-12-05T15:39:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/?p=1169"},"modified":"2020-09-11T20:40:18","modified_gmt":"2020-09-11T20:40:18","slug":"sat-reading-strategy-passage-first-or-questions-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/sat\/sat-reading-strategy-passage-first-or-questions-first\/","title":{"rendered":"SAT Reading Strategy: Passage or Questions First?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The SAT Reading section is a tough section for many.\u00a0Reading strategies are necessary to ensure success on the section. One of the most common strategy questions is whether you should read the passage or question first.
\nYou can admit it. There was a time in your life when you found reading to be enjoyable . . . or at the very least, there was a time in your life when reading wasn\u2019t a chore. Maybe it was when you finished your very first book as a child. Or perhaps when you sped through fun chapter books. <\/i>It could have been when you discovered the magic of fantasy novels. So, when did reading get to be so boring and tedious? For many students, reading becomes a chore as soon as they are expected to answer questions about what they read, which brings us to what strategy is best\u00a0to tackle the SAT<\/a> Reading passages and questions.
\nThe SAT Reading test is 65 minutes and has 52 multiple-choice questions, each of which has four answer choices. There are five passages total: four single passages and one set of paired passages, with 500\u2013750 words per passage or passage set.
\nSAT Reading Passages will draw from U.S. and World Literature, History\/Social Studies, and Science. One set of History\/Social Studies or Science passages will be paired. History\/Social Studies and Science passages can also be accompanied by graphical representations of data such as charts, graphs, or tables.
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Two Main sat reading Approaches<\/h3>
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\nThere are several ways of approaching reading comprehension on the SAT, all of which can be grouped into two general strategies, with some advantages and disadvantages to each.
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Strategy<\/th>Advantages<\/th>Disadvantages<\/th><\/tr>
1) Read the passage fully before looking at any of the corresponding questions. <\/td>\u2013 You won’t miss out on any important details.
\n\u2013 You will have a better understanding of the main point of a passage. <\/td>		\u2013 This may take longer for slower readers.<\/a>
\n\u2013 There is a danger of ‘zoning out’ or losing focus while reading. <\/td><\/tr>
2) Skim through the questions and then read the passage, answering questions as you read. <\/td>\u2013 You save time by skipping info unrelated to the questions.
\n\u2013 You won’t lose focus as much during long stretches of reading.
\n\u2013 Relevant parts of the passage are fresh in your mind. <\/td>		\u2013 Selective reading can cause you to miss the main point.
\n\u2013 You may struggle with questions that don’t have line references or questions that ask about the passage’s main idea.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>